Don't believe it?

Listen to coach Romeo Crennel's candid assessment of Quinn in the team's offseason practices and minicamps — also called OTAs (Organized Team Activities).

"I have the feeling that he was lost in the OTAs," Crennel said yesterday after the Browns confirmed that they and Quinn had agreed to terms on a five-year deal. "Because that's what he was."

"Lost" might be good on a television show, but it's not on a football field.

And Crennel, who is not exactly welcoming to rookies, said Quinn — the second of the team's two first-round draft picks — will have a tall mountain to climb after missing 11 days of training camp.

"We're going to put him at the bottom of the charts and work with him a little but not to the detriment of the guys who have been here," Crennel said.

Crennel again referred to Quinn as "the quarterback." He'll no doubt become Quinn when he signs his deal.

Quinn and his agent, Tom Condon, agreed to the deal yesterday after both sides gave a little bit.

The deal was reported to be worth $20.2 million, but that's only if Quinn hits a playtime incentive that would drastically increase his base pay the final two years.

Quinn has two ways to hit the incentives: Participate in 55 percent of the offensive plays in two of the first three years or play 70 percent of the plays in the third year.

Condon wanted the 70 percent figure to be any of the first three years, but the Browns stuck to the third year. To get the contract done, the Browns also added a trigger in the fourth year, though the base value of the deal would drop below $20.2 million.

Quinn's side gave on the guaranteed money. They wanted $8 million, but agreed to $7.75 million.

"It's a deal I think we could have done at the start of camp," Browns General Manager Phil Savage said. "But unfortunately it didn't happen that way."

Quinn flew to Cleveland from Phoenix yesterday. He'll meet the media today at 8 a.m. and then start work.

"He's got a lot of catching up to do," Savage said. "He's missed a significant amount of time. He missed an entire cycle of putting in the offensive system. He's got a lot of work to do."

"He has to put in extra time," Crennel said. "He has to work extra to try to catch up."

Wide receiver Travis Wilson, who held out for three days last season, knows what it's like to walk in late.

"It's not too good of a feeling," Wilson said.

He also said that he knew that he had to earn some status with his teammates.

"They understand," Wilson said. "But they (also) understand that you have to earn the respect back a little bit."

Savage said it would be hard for Quinn to play in the exhibition season opener Saturday night against the Kansas City Chiefs, but Crennel said it might be possible.